Washer with scum accumulator



A ril 29, 1952 Filed March 25, 1946 G. P. CASTNER WASHER WITH SCUM ACCUMULATOR 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Patented Apr. 29, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEQIZ;

WASHER WITH SCUM AGCUMULATOR George P. Qastner, Webster City, Iowa, a'ssignor to Solar Corporation, Milwaukee, Wi's., a corporation of Delaware Application March 25, 1946, Serial- No. 656,867

(01. es-an 2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to improvements in home or domestic washing machines and more particularly to scum accumulators for such machines.

As is well known, there almost invariably accumulates on the surface of the water while washing a frothy scum which is composed of particles of lint and the reaction products of the soap used. This, is particularly noticeable where hard water is used and large bubbles of calcium, magnesium, iron and other impurities of the water are precipitated by the water softeners necessary in such cases. Unless this scum is accumulated and carried off in some way it has a tendency to settle in and upon the clothes when the washing operation is completed and while this is especially true in the case of the automatic washers in which the tub or container for the clothes is spun for centrifugally extracting the water, it is also a problem in the ordinary washer in which the clothes are simply lifted out of the water for wringing.

It is the primary object of my invention to provide means operative during the washing operation for accumulating and segregating the scum and holding it away from the clothes in such manner that it will be flushed out when the tub of an automatic washer is spun for extracting and thus cannot settle on the clothes, or in such position that the clothes in the non-automatic washer may be lifted out without coming in contact with the accumulated scum. I

Another object is to provide a scum accumulator of this character and for this purpose which is applicable to many difierent types of washers, and extremely simple and inexpensive in construction and effective in operation.

These and other more detailed and specific objects will be disclosed in the course of the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a vertical, diametrical sectional view through the upper portion of a washing machine having a rotatable tub for centrifugally extracting the water and provided with a scum accumulator according to my invention.

Fig. '2 is a plan view and horizontal cross section along the line 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional and elevational view showing a washing machine having a perforated spinning tub or basket for the clothes, and showing a part of the clothes container operative as a scum accumulator in accordance with my invention.

4 is aview similar to Fig.1 but showing an ordinary washing machine, with no provision for centrifugal extraction, equipped with my scum accumulator. j

Fig. 5 is an elevation, partially in section, of a scum accumulator device alone, having a'slig'htly modified shape.

Referring now more particularly and by reference characters to the drawing, "in Figs. 1 and '2' thereof I show an automatic washing machine of well known form having an outer casing or tub I0, provided with a cover II, and having a bottom [2 with a drain l3. In the upper part of the casing l0 there is positioned a rotatable tub or receptacle M for the clothes to be washed "and this member is supported "upon a shaft assembly 15 extending upwardly into the casing. The tub or receptacle Hi has an annular, outwardly and upwardly flaring side wall It which terminates at its upper edge in an inwardly turned rim "ll defining an opening through which the clothes may be placed into, or removed from, the tub. An agitator N3 of any conventional form is positioned in the tub M.

The construction and arrangement thus far described is conventional and it will be understood that during the washing operation the agitator I8 will oscillate to wash the clothes in usual fashion, and when washing is completed the tub It is spun rapidly to centrifugally extract the water from the clothes, leaving them in a damp-drycondition. The tub l4 extends at its upper end slightly above the water level, indicated by the line A, which is, of course, the level to which thetub is filled with the liquid for washing the clothes. As here shown the side wall It of the tub is provided with upwardly opening and fla'ring flutes l9 through which the water is-e'xp'elled' upwardly and outwardly by centrifugal force as the tub is spun, but it is understood that the tub may instead have a row of openings above the water level, or the tub may be itself shaped to permit the water to escape. All of such arrangements are well known but since they form-11?.) part of my present invention they are not further detailed herein.

As set out he'i'einbe-fore there accumulates a surface scum of lint particles, reaction products of the soap and impurities released .from the water by the various water softeners and condi-- tioners used in the washing operation, and it will be evident that without some means'to ca'rry'th-is scum away, it will settle down on the clothes as the extraction process takes place. This is par ticularly for the reason that, as. the tub is spun the water has a tendency to settle at th'ec'enter part of the tub, or vortex of the spinning mass, and thus to deposit the surface scum directly upon and through the clothes.

In accordance with my invention, in its broadest aspects, I provide means for trapping or accumulating the scum during the washing operation and in such location that it cannot and will not settle and become deposited upon the clothes as the tub is spun, but instead will be flushed out with the first water to be expelled fromthe tub.

For this purpose I provide means forming an annular, accumulating chamber or pocket in the upper, outer part of the tub and as shown in Fig. 1 comprising a ring, indicated generally at 20, having a bottom rim or flange 2| slightly smaller in diameter than the interior of the tub M. The ring is secured to the tub by this rim 21 in any appropriate manner, such as by rivets or screws 22 and with washers 23 positioned between the rim and side wall N of the tub to thus space the rim evenly from the circular inner surface of the tub and form therearound a narrow annular space as indicated at 24 in Fig. 2. From the rim 2| upwardy the ring is curved at 25 inwardly to a smaller diameter and then extends upwardly in the form of an annular upper rim 26 and it is thus seen that a fairly wide chamber 21 is formed annularly around the rim 26 and within the upper part of the tub. The ring 20 is so positioned in the tub that the upper rim 26 projects a short distance as shown above the water level A and it is important that the tub be filled to this level for each washing or rinsing operation. The ring 20 thus is initially located in the tub with proper reference to the upper ends of the flutes I!) or other water escape means which largely determine the proper water level for the washer.

Provision might, of course, be made in many ways for adjusting the ring 20 vertically in the tub but since the normal operating water level for each type of tub is known and may be maintained by proper filling no such adjustment is believed to be vital and is not here shown.

In order to facilitate installation in the tub the ring 20 may be made in sections, or it may be split, as here indicated at 28, so that the ends may be overlapped and the ring contracted to enter the top of the tub and then the ring expanded again to normal size aas will be under- Fig. 1 but positioned within the tub of an ordistood.

- Nowduring thewashing operation advantage chamber 21. This splashing continually tends to move the surface scum and froth outwardly and radially with respect to the center of the tub and. with the upper edge of the rim 26 at proper distance above the water level, it is found that these splashes will carry over the rim and deposit the scum in the annular chamber 21 so that the water surface within the ring shortly becomes and thereafter remains substantially clear of scum. With the scum thus pocketed in the chamber 21, the tendency of the water first to remain stationary as the tub is started spinning for extraction, and then to rise around the outer edge of the mass causes the accumulated scum to be carried away and flushed out of the chamber 21 by the first water leaving the tub through the flutes. It will be evident too that the ring 26 will prevent any of the accumulated scum from washing inwardly and settling on the clothes as the water mass settles at its center in the formation of the vortex accompanying the rise of the water outward and upward from the tub rim. Thus I accomplish my desired result without any attention on the part of the operator and purely as a concomitant to the normal washing and extracting processes.

My inventionis also applicable to the type of machine having a perforated basket or receptacle for the clothes as seen in Fig. 3. Here the machine comprises an outer casing 29 wherein is mounted an imperforate tub 3|] for containing the washing liquid. This tub 30 has a cover 3| and within the tub there is a clothes receptacle or basket 32 having an annular side wall 33 termimating in an upper rim portion 34. The side wall 33 is profusely perforated as indicated at 35 and thus while it will confine the clothes to be washed the liquid is confined by the tub 36 to maintain the necessary water level, here again indicated at A. An agitator 36 is provided for agitating the clothes and liquid while washing.

In this case I have shown the scum accumulator means as formed as an integral part of the machine and for my purpose I terminate the per forations 35 on a line well below the water level A so that the rim portion 34 of the basket or receptacle 32 is imperforate and thus may itself act as an accumulator ring defining an annular chamber 31 outwardly of the said rim and within the upper part of the tub 30. The upper edge of the rim 34 also extends a short distance above the water level A exactly as does the rim 26 of the ring 20 shown in Fig. 1.

Thus during the washing operation th outward splashing of the surface Water may now carry the scum and dirty froth over the upper edge of the rim 34 and deposit it in the chamber 3! where it will be accumulated and held as previously described. Then when the washing is U completed and the water is drained off from tub 30 in the usual manner in this type of washer, the scum will drop down outside of the basket or receptacle 32 and will be carried away without coming into contact with the clothes. Particularly if the basket 32 is spun for extraction while draining off the water the outward surge of the water will prevent any of the scum from filtering inward into the clothes.

Referring now to Fig. 4 I show therein a scum accumulator rin 38 exactly as shown at 20 in nary washing machine of the kind in which centrifugal extraction is not employed. Here the washer is shown as having a tub 39, with a bottom 40, and an agitator 4i and it is, of course,

understood that the clothes are simply removed through the open top 42 of the tub when washing is completed, while the water or liquid is drained off through a drain 43. The ring'38 has a bottom flange 44 which i secured by fasteners 45 to the inside of the tub 39 and spaced evenly all around therefrom by washers or spacers 46. The ring also has an inward curve or bulge 41 above the flange 44 terminating in an upwardly directed upper flange 48 which projects evenly.

all around a short distance above the water level. here again indicated at A. Thus there is formed an annular chamber 49 over into which the scum may be splashed by action of the agitator and wherein the scum will be accumulated as the washing goes on. Since the clothes are lifted out of the machine before the water is drained off they will be held by the ring against coming in dirtying contact with the scum, and then asthe water is drained of! the scum may be readily flushed with clean water from the chamber 49.

In Fig. 5 I show alone a scum accumulator ring 50 which is slightly difierent in shape having an upwardly turned lower mounting flange 5|, an inwardly and upwardly curved main rim portion 52 and finally an outwardly angled upper rim 53 adapted to project above the Water level in the washing machine. Obviously this form of ring will cooperate with the tub to form an accumulatdng chamber exactly as previously described and due to the upturned flange 5| and outwardly angled rim 53 the ring may in practice he found to better retain the accumulated scum as will be understood.

Attention is called to the fact that, throughout Figs. 1, 3 and 4, the respective agitators I8, 36 and M are shown with their vanes as extending above the water level A. Ordinarily these vanes are much shorter, and fall below the water level, but the longer, extended vanes are an advantage in connection with my scum accumulator in that the vanes tend to flag the clothes outwardly before they are drawn down by the undertow action set up by the agitator. In this manner the effective splashing of the surface scum over into the accumulating chambers is increased.

It is understood that suitable modifications may be made in the structure as disclosed, provided such modifications come within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Having now therefore fully illustrated and described my invention, what I claim to be new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is: I

1. In a clothes washing and drying machine of the character described having a receptacle for the clothes and washing liquid and said receptacle being mounted for spinning rotation and including an upwardly and outwardly flaring wall having openings adjacent its upper edge to expel the liquid from the clothes, means forming a scum accumulating chamber around the inside of the receptacle immediately beneath the said openings, the said means comprising an imperforate ring secured to the inside of the receptacle wall in spaced relation thereto and extending upwardly approximately to the level of the said openings but terminating below the upper margin of the receptacle.

2. In a washing machine having a tub to contain a washing liquid and material to be washed and means for agitating the liquid and material, means forming a scum accumulating chamber around the inside of the'tub below the upper edge thereof consisting of an annular imperforate member secured inside the tub in spaced relation thereto and extending upwardly from beneath to above the liquid level in the tub but terminating below the level of the upper margin of the tub so that scum on the surface of the liquid will be thrown outward over the upper edge of the annular member by the agitation of the liquid and materials.

GEORGE P. CASTNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

